Having a new baby means lots of new adventures ahead and opportunities to take him to new places with us so that he too can experience the wonderful world that is out there. Traveling with children is a great way for them to see the world. When you travel together, you’ll form life-long memories and unforgettable experiences. It’s all about exploring, learning and, more than anything, having a great time.
But traveling with little ones isn’t without its worries. You’ve got to pack and plan for them, as well as yourself as we learned all to well on our recent trip to Delaware and DC. All of your decisions will be made with your children as the top priority. As such, it can get a bit more stressful than traveling solo.
But as the Telegraph says, taking your children on holiday can make them happier and smarter. You shouldn’t pass up the opportunity for quality family time because of the additional effort. That’s why we’ve come up with some key ways for making it easier to travel with children. Check them out and enjoy a stress-free trip together:
Dress in bright clothing
Keeping track of kids can be difficult. Once they can walk, it’s likely they’ll be adventurous and easily distracted. Having kids wander off is every parent’s worst nightmare.
To minimize any stress and help you quickly spot your children out in a crowd, make sure you get them to wear bright, recognizable clothes. An extremely useful tip when out and about in the evenings from Compare Travel Insurance is to arm kids with fun multi-colored glow sticks. It’s entertaining for the kids and helps you keep an eye on them when it’s dark.
Identify key people
Busy days out can be the most stressful part of a vacation for parents. But the more information you can arm your little ones with, the better. When you arrive somewhere, play a little game and get them to identify the best people to ask for help. This includes police officers, security personnel, official staff and moms with children. Being able to identify trustworthy people can help them if an emergency does occur.
Get swimming lessons beforehand
It’s likely you’ll be spending a lot of time in and around the water. Swimming pools and the ocean can be dangerous places for kids. Although they love playing in the water, they should be closely watched or accompanied, depending on their age. To improve their confidence in the water, it’s worth investing in a few swimming lessons before you go on vacation.
Always remember to re-apply sunscreen
Whether you’re enjoying a day at the beach or sightseeing in a city, you should be applying sunscreen throughout the day. As the Skin Cancer Foundation says, sunscreen should be applied 30 minutes before sun exposure to allow the ingredients to fully bind to the skin.
What’s more, reapplying sunscreen is just as important as putting it on in the first place, so reapply the same amount (around 1oz) every two hours. Sunscreen should also be reapplied immediately after swimming, toweling off, or sweating a great deal. Remember that young children’s skin is far more sensitive and susceptible to sun damage making it even more important to reapply and prevent sun burns. A badly sunburned kiddo will make for unpleasant company and being proactive could also ensure the rest of your trip goes smoothly.
Pack a first aid kit
As well as sun cream, it’s worth packing a few medical essentials to cope with any minor injuries or illnesses. Painkillers, bandages, antiseptic, a thermometer, after sun and antihistamines are among the key items, but you can make up your own kit according to what you think you might need.
As adventurous people who enjoy traveling, I have no doubt that our baby will be experiencing lots of new places with us, so we’ll be keeping these helpful tips handy for when the travel bug hits us again. We’ll be prepared and far less anxious for the trip.
Do you regularly travel with children? Share your tips for a stress-free trip with us.
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